The Hindu Business Line : Kerala decides to set up Disaster Management Dept

THE State Government will set up a Disaster Management Department with a view to hastening efforts at rehabilitating the tsunami-hit population in the coastal areas of the State.

The Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, announced this here while briefing newspersons on the decisions arrived at a routine meeting of the State Cabinet.

Mr T. K. Jose, Director of the Kudumbashree Poverty Eradication Programme, has been appointed as the Secretary of the new department that will function under the overall control of the Department of Revenue.

The next phase of relief operations will be launched soon, the Chief Minister said, even as he requested the wholehearted support from the public for the same.

Perpetual set-up: Going one step further, Mr Chandy said the intention was to have a permanent mechanism that will be equipped to deal with exigencies such as natural calamities when they strike. With this in view, the Cabinet also gave its approval for bringing forward a Disaster Management Bill. The Revenue Minister, Mr K.M. Mani, has been entrusted with the task of preparing a draft for the same.

The Bill will be placed before the State Assembly after the State Disaster Management Committee discussed it threadbare, the Chief Minister said.

The Cabinet also finalised a memorandum seeking enhanced relief to the tsunami-hit that was later submitted to a Central team visiting the State. Earlier, the State Government had submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, during the latter's post-tsunami tour of the State, seeking an assistance of Rs 757 crore.

Tourism Ordinance: The Cabinet also approved promulgation of an Ordinance that seeks to ensure protection and maintenance of areas of tourist importance in the State.

Announcing this, Mr Chandy told newspersons that the State Government had originally planned to pilot a bill for the purpose but had settled for an ordinance given that the process of bringing forward a Bill would take much more time.

Explaining the circumstances leading the State Government to take a decision, he said the recent boat tragedy at the scenic Kumarakom that killed four tourists had perturbed its collective conscious.

Other facts that influenced the decision were the rampant environment pollution in tourist areas and a court order that passed strictures against allowing construction activities in the vicinity of tourist spots.

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